This summer is officially the year of sharing all my favorite iced Summer drinks with you – including old and new, like this blackberry drink. This blackberry Earl Grey iced tea is perfect for getting your tea fix during the hot summer days, with a fruity, herbal, citrus twist! Honestly, now is the perfect time to share these drinks with you too – Especially as the UK is going through a heatwave right now and it seems many of my friends in the US are also experiencing a very hot week ahead of us. So, let’s get right to it! For other Earl Grey-inspired Summer treats, you might like this Vegan Earl Grey Blueberry Tart or even Raw Vegan Berry Cheesecake.
The ingredients
Blackberries – Wild blackberries are usually more tart, so I prefer to use store-bought ‘sweeter’ varieties. Rinse them thoroughly before using them. Earl Grey – I love the unique flavor of Earl Grey with its’ bold, yet refreshing flavor that combines black tea with bergamot orange. You could also try this with other black tea varieties, to experiment. Fresh Limes – Make sure to use fresh and not bottled, for superior flavor. Sweetener – I’ve used maple here as an unrefined, vegan sugar. You could also use other liquid or granulated sugars. Go sugar-free with a sweetener like erythritol (adapt the amount used depending on what you choose and your sweet tooth) Herbs – Blackberry pairs amazingly with fresh herbs. Some of my favorite options include mint, basil, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme. Here, I used rosemary.
The step by step instructions
Step 1: First, steep the tea in boiling water. You can do this use loose tea or tea bags and then allowing it to cool to room temperature (or chill in the fridge). Note* You could also make cold brew Earl Grey by brewing it in cold water overnight (for between 10-12 hours is best). Step 2: Add the blackberries, lime juice and sweetener to a large cup (or two smaller cups) and mash. Note** If you want to avoid berry seeds then you can blend this concoction first and strain through a fine mesh sieve, into the cup/s. Optional step 3: Pour the tea over the berry mixture and stir well. Serve with ice cubes and garnish with your favorite herbs.
Recipe variations
For a Blackberry Earl Grey Mocktail: Brew your tea at double strength, as you’ll only need a few tbsp in this mocktail. Add the remainder of the ingredients to your glass and muddle, allowing the fruit and sweetener to macerate as the tea cools slightly. Add 3-4tbsp of Earl Grey tea and then top up with soda water. You can, optionally, add in a little vanilla extract too. An Earl Grey Cocktail/ Alcoholic version: rum, bourbon, vodka, whiskey, and gin all work well with black tea varieties. Simply omit some brewed tea in place of a little of your favorite alcohol.
How to store
The plain cold brew/ brewed and cooled Earl Grey tea can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 5 days. I like to make a big batch at the beginning of the week then make the individual cups of blackberry iced tea with the remainder of te ingredients as I go along, so it’s nice and fresh!
Recipe notes
If you decide to make a large pitcher of the blackberry iced tea, then it’s best to serve the ice in the individual glasses and not the pitcher, so you don’t dilute the entire jugful. You could also make brewed Earl Grey ice-cubes, to pop into the drink. You could also experiment with making this same drink with other fruits – such as peach.
Related drink recipes
The Best Homemade Lemonade Simple Colour-changing Magic Lemonade (with sugar syrup) Watermelon Keg/ Dispenser Simple And Healthy Ginger Lemonade How to make pomegranate juice Raspberry Lemonade Strawberry Limeade (Mocktail) Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte Mocha Frappuccino Golden Frappuccino (turmeric) Iced Latte
If you try this Earl Grey blackberry lime drink, let me know your thoughts and any questions in the comments. Also, feel free to tag me in your recreations @AlphaFoodie.
